Putin says he can work with Obama

Sep. 4, 2013
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President Obama and Vladimir Putin in June. / Evan Vucci, AP

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

Vladimir Putin says his differences with President Obama aren't personal, or permanent.

"President Obama hasn't been elected by the American people in order to be pleasant to Russia," Putin told the Associated Press. "And your humble servant hasn't been elected by the people of Russia to be pleasant to someone either."

He said, "We work, we argue about some issues. We are human. Sometimes one of us gets vexed. But I would like to repeat once again that global mutual interests form a good basis for finding a joint solution to our problems."

That could include Syria, Putin said in the interview with AP and Russia's state Channel 1.

Though Putin warned the United States and the West against one-sided military action against Syria, he said Russia "doesn't exclude" supporting strikes if it can be proved that Bashar Assad's government used chemical weapons against its people.

"Putin said Moscow has provided some components of the S-300 air defense missile system to Syria but has frozen further shipments. He suggested Russia may sell the potent missile systems elsewhere if Western nations attack Syria without U.N. Security Council backing.

"The interview Tuesday night at Putin's country residence outside the Russian capital was the only one he granted before the summit of G-20 nations in St. Petersburg, which opens Thursday. The summit is supposed to concentrate on the global economy, but it looks likely to be dominated by the international crisis over allegations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in the country's civil war.

"Putin said he felt sorry that President Obama canceled a one-on-one meeting in Moscow that was supposed to have happened before the summit. He expressed hope the two would have serious discussions about Syria and other issues in St. Petersburg."